


Dissonance

by weazelbeater



Series: Love and War [13]
Category: Kill la Kill
Genre: Attempt at Humor, F/F, Gift Giving, Injury, Internal Conflict, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Revelations, Swordfighting, Swords, Workplace, hardmode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 14:05:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9075100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weazelbeater/pseuds/weazelbeater
Summary: Cognitive dissonance: a psychological conflict resulting from simultaneously held yet contradictory beliefs and attitudes. Bad enough for a human to deal with...but for a human-fiber hybrid? It's pure hell.





	

 

 

_Monday, October 2 nd, 7:04 A.M., Main office of The RECOVER Foundation’s President - Kiryuin Satsuki_

 

“Madam President? Terribly sorry to bother you so soon before business hours, but it seems you have a visitor.”

“Oh? Who might that be, seeing me here so very early?”

“It’s a young woman, here to drop off some important paperwork, as well as some…permits?”

“Very well. See her in, please.”

Twin doors parted to reveal one Matoi Ryuko, dressed in an off-white blouse and charcoal gray slacks, with a dark red bow scarf and matching red flats to top off this smart business ensemble. She cautiously stepped into the office, sapphire clamshell purse clenched between her hands as cobalt gear eyes darted nervously about the room.

“Ah, well now. Look at you! My, not only are you here early, but in such an impressive outfit, as well! I must say, dear...you clean up rather well! Consider me duly impressed, which is certainly hard enough for anyone to achieve before my own critical eyes.” Satsuki’s pearl-perfect teeth gleamed as she proudly regarded the delicate flower now blushing radiantly before her.

Nose scrunched up into a button of barely-concealed contempt, Ryuko glared warily at the saccharine, perky morning person from hell, a.k.a. her own sister, Satsy ‘ _Five A.M. Reveille_ ’ Bitchykins.

“Ugh. Keep that up and I’ll roll in the mud like a piggy, just to piss you off, ‘Mistress Kiryuin’...oink, oink! Iori said to ‘dress for success’ today or whatever, so this dumb getup was all _his_ idea. I’m just gonna be sittin’ behind a damn reception desk all day. I could do that just as easily in sweats, ya know! Prolly be more comfy that way, too.”  

“Yes, perhaps…yet that wouldn’t serve to impress anyone, now would it? Really, though...I am being quite serious. I haven’t ever caught a glimpse of you while dressed in such a respectable manner. You look rather dashing! You are certain to dazzle any visitor who crosses our grand threshold! Please, do sit down. We can chat before the office opens and you take up your position at the intake counter.”

“Uh-huh. So the tux at the concert didn’t count, then? Hmm. Hey, uh...you got anything to eat? I’m gettin’ kinda hungry now.”

“Oh? Did you miss breakfast this morning? That’s not like you.”

“Eh, my tummy was too upset to eat anything. Too nervous about all of this ‘real job’ stuff, I guess? Plus, I’m kinda allergic to mornings, so...it takes a while fer me to really wake up. _*sigh*_ Still not quite there yet, either.”

“I see. Well, we can stop by the break room, I’m sure there will be something in there to suit your appetite.”

“Yeah, sounds good! But first, I gotta get something out of the way, if that’s okay with you?”

“Of course. What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing major, really. Just...well, I have to set things straight between us, as maybe an apology of sorts? So...here. Check these out.”

Ryuko stood up before Satsuki’s desk, as prim and proper as she could muster. She solemnly rifled through her purse, whereupon she then laid down one, then two plastic cards, snapping them down with barely concealed enthusiasm as she did.

Satsuki employed her reading glasses to investigate the cards in detail. “Let’s see. These are...your permits? I don’t need to see your identification, Ryuko. I assure you, I know who you are! We have filed the appropriate employment paperwork already, so-“

“Listen here ‘Boss’, maybe you could stand to hit the full blooded coffee pot instead of that weak-ass decaf tea once in a while? Look _closer_ , eh?”

“Oh, I... _oh!_ My goodness, I hadn’t realized! You finally obtained your actual driver’s license? Ah, _and_ your motorcycle permit, as well! Ryuko, I am so very proud of you! You did it! I am so glad!”

“Ah-ah-ah, but wait, there’s more! Along with your purchase of a fully legal imouto-san, you also get _this_ as a bonus gift! Ta-dahhh!”

Ryuko proudly tossed her latest achievement down upon the desk. A dark blue passport stared at Satsuki’s surprised face, the gold foil seal casting a faint yellow shimmer across the desk’s sunrise-lit surface.

“Can’t get a red one until I’m _twenty_ , I found out. Hmph! But I couldn’t wait that long, I wanted to plunk these all down at once just to see yer glorious face when I did it! Ugh, Ican’thaveaprettyredoneyetwhat _ever_! Gawd! Still, I’ll have that red one soon enough...once we burn through  this one! Right, Sats?”

“Of course! This means that you can accompany me on my international business trips! How exciting!”

“Uh...well, I was thinking more ‘vacation trips’, but, yeah...that too, I guess? So, you ever get to go anywhere fun for business? Anywhere _I’d_ want to go?”

“Well, let’s see. There’s the upcoming tech symposium in France, the aerospace expo in New York, the-“

“NEW YORK **_CITY_**?! Hell, yes! _Sold_ to the hot chick with the spindle-shaped eyebrows! Imma be on _that_ flight, oh yeah! When are we hitting _the_ most badass city in the whole world, huh? Oh boy, I can’t wait!”

“That trip is two months from now. If you can promise to behave, I’ll arrange for you to be my personal-“

“Two _months?_ Aww, but I was hopin’ fer an exotic vacation getaway as a reward fer bein’ all super good and getting alllll these legal permits and documents and, and...things? Look, I’m being all irresistibly cute and stuff? Eh? Right?”

“Hmm, yes. I can see that. Well, the other thing you’ll want to know about the New York trip is that Jakuzure will be accompanying us.”

“Huh? What’s Short N’ Pinky got to do with your business? That some shipping contract thing or whatever?”

“No, not quite. She misses her boyfriend, and she wants to-“

“Get _laid_ , right? Oi, the things some people will do just to get a little action...I mean, not like she could provide any _other_ kind of _*snort*_ action, right? Hey, I’ll bet her man just can’t _wait_ to get back up into the most uptight little pink...what?”

“ _MATOI RYUKO!_ Show some respect, you uncouth, heathen demon! Nonon has certainly earned your respect by now, so please  do show her a modicum of courtesy, present or not!”

“Er, y-yeah, sorry. My bad. I’ll keep a lid on it, I promise. Aw man, no more of ‘the pout’! Come on! Please! I’m really sorry, I just forgot where we were fer a minute! Look, I’m back to being the ‘International Business Matoi’, okay? A total professional! Just...just turn off that pouting? Please, Sats-er...’Boss’?”

Satsuki turned her infamous _‘Pout of Eternal Shame Infliction’ (_ _永遠の恥の苦しみのふくれっ_ _面_ _)_ down to a low simmer...at this point, it may as well be named after her dear sister instead, she employed it so damned much to cow ‘Ryuko the Ever-Rude’ back into the realm of basic politeness. She kept her lips pursed in deadly reserve, however, should she have to chastise the world-class expert in weapons-grade aggravation once more.

“As I was _saying_...Nonon-san will be flying there to see him take part in an important recital - he will be a guest violinist at their famed Juilliard String Quartet concert - but more importantly, she will be meeting her boyfriend’s parents as well.”

“His…parents? Oh man. Does that mean what I _think_ it means?”

“Possibly. She has mentioned the ‘f-word’ recently...it may very well be leading up to something truly monumental. ”

“Oh. I already knew they fucked. She told me herself that he has a huge-“

“Not THAT ‘f-word’, you dolt! _Fiancée!_ She means to eventually  marry him!”

“Oh shit!? I didn’t know she was _that_ serious about the guy?”

“Well, she is. Look, keep that fact to yourself, please. It could do her irreparable harm if her family were to discover this now. Her father could move against her, possibly even have her passport revoked! He is still a very powerful man, after all. So do _not_ go blabbing about this, all right?”

“Oh, believe me. I ain’t dumb enough to get in the way of _her_ supercharged libido! That’d be plain suicide! Oi, have you heard some of the kinky stuff she says about her ‘Knight in Shining Rosin’, huh?”

“Well, no. We don’t gossip about such things. It’s beneath her to do so, I’d think.”

“Huh, no kidding? Well, my first tip off that you ain’t been getting’ all the dirty laundry from her own lips is that it’s always ‘beneath’ her. She’s _always_ ridin’ his cock from up on top!”

“Ryuko! What did I just _say_ about respecting her name when-“

“Oi! Now look here, Satsuki! I don’t mean to burst your self-righteous bubble an’ all, but Nonon doesn’t always go to _you_ with her private thoughts! We talk too, like girls sometimes do, and obviously about shit that _you_ don’t discuss over tea and crumpets or whatever the hell it is you two do together!”

“If you...I...no, I was not aware of that. I wonder why she hasn’t been bringing up these things with me? Oh, I hope I haven’t offended her in some way...?”

“Naw, I don’t think that’s it. Look, she’s probably tryin’ to, uh…avoid bringing up awkward sex stuff with ya. She probably thinks it would make you all uncomfortable, ya know? I mean, Nonon knows about yer past now, and I bet she just doesn’t want to risk stirring up any bad stuff. Know what I mean? You never know, sometimes it _does_ bug you, umm...talking about stuff like that. She’s totally afraid of hurting your feelings, Satsuki. She loves you so damned much, like the hugest amount! If ya really think about it, she’s sorta like your very own pocket-sized Mako, yeah? Only not nearly as loud! Oi, now wait a minute, _that_ sure as hell ain’t true. Well anyways, you get my drift, I hope?”

“Yes, I think so. Look, Ryuko-san...I know Nonon’s not exactly your closest companion by far, but if you could perhaps… _continue_ to listen to her in regards to such delicate matters? It would mean the world to me, as I do not wish to deprive her of such a necessary outlet…even if it means she apparently cannot come to me for it?”

“Oh, it ain’t no big deal. I feel where you’re coming from, all right? I know ya care about her annoying little ass, too. Nonon is like yer oldest, bestest friend. I guess I’d have to say that I’m really, really grateful that you had her to rely on, all those years. I mean if I couldn’t be there to support ya and help through the tough times? Well then, she was the next best thing. Super protective, super dedicated...no, I do actually have mega respect for her because of that alone. Don’t actually tell her I _said_ that, though!  I’ll listen to all her pervy stories for ya, don’t worry. It’s a valiant sacrifice, ya know...to hear about her sore _cervix_ , and her nasty morning _semen breath_ , and her surprising lack of _any_ gag reflex whatsoev-“

“ _Gods above, Matoi!_ Enough already! I get the idea; now please...no more details!”

“ _*snort*_ Sorry, boss. I’ll try to filter out that sort of stuff in the _–ahem-_ future. _Heh-heh_!”

“Ye Gods, I had no idea she was such a depraved...! Well, a-anyways. On to more _*cough*_ appropriate workplace conversation. Let us...ah, let’s get you something to eat, shall we? Can’t have you hungry on your first day on the job, now can we?”

“Nope, guess not. Hey Sats, you got any bananas around here, by any chance?”

“Mmm, possibly. We would have to look...wait, _why_?”

“Why... _what_? A girl can’t have a damned banana for breakfast? Fer real? There are company rules against that?”

“No, I suppose not...”

“Eh, just as well if you don’t have any. I couldn’t swallow them _nearly_ as effectively as Pinky could, believe me!”

“ _Ryuko!_ Damn you to hell!”

“Aw heck, you ain’t kidding about the business place being a stressful environment, nee-san! You look about ready to explode already!”

“Oh heavens, look at the time. It’s not even eight, yet...”

“Yeah, well...you asked me to work here. Don’t forget that little fact... _boss lady!_ ”

Ryuko hummed to herself a jaunty little tune as Satsuki tried in vain to focus upon showing her new charge the ins and outs of Nonon’s tight little _STOP THAT AT ONCE!_ …the expansive new layout of the cum-swallowing _COMPANY GROUNDS, DAMMIT_!...since the man seed _MANSION!_ …had been recently cuntfingered _CON FIGURED! THAT IS ENOUGH!..._to allow for the proper processing of those in need. She was quietly relieved that her rebellious submissive _SUB CONSCIOUS!_ had been tamed enough by her supreme willpower thus far to prevent any further hijacking off all over her greedy pink tongue _NO, JUST NO. I AM DONE. I must be losing it! I will quite clitorally explode if...LITERALLY! OH, THAT’S IT. I’M OUT...of the closetYOU SHUT UP!  _

“Erm…Ryuko, I’ll be right back. I just need to stop by the ( _firm mammaries)_ in _firm_ ary for some _(assfucking)_ … _as_ pirin. Oh, hell.”

Poor Satsuki. It was going to be a long, hard dick-er… _day_ for her.

 

 

-

 

 

“All right, look here. Ain’t nobody in a gang because society helped ‘em right the first time, okay? Yeah, so I ran with gangs. I admit it. Led most of them, after a while. I ain’t exactly proud of it, but I ain’t gonna deny it, either. They looked to me fer guidance, how to be strong in the face of adversity, stuff like that. It’s not like I campaigned for the position, believe me! It just happened. One day, there I was: the toughest survivor! People gravitate towards that, right? You know how it is...people sorta fall in line once they are confronted by someone who totally outclasses them. My determination overwhelmed them all, in due time. Hell, I got a lotta static from guys who just wouldn’t allow a little _girl_ to make them look bad. So I had to be _that_ much badder than them, that’s all! The baddest of ‘em all: ‘The Kanto Drifter’ kicked a whole bunch of ass, ‘cause she _had_ to, just to get results. I got the info I needed, one way or the other! So eventually it led me to Honnō City, and the rest is history.”

The break room was spellbound by Ryuko’s masterful retelling of her past heroic exploits. One foot perched upon a chair and with one fist shaking up in the air, she held the other clenched fist over her heart as she recounted her tragic story. This was supposed to be a quick meet-and-greet session, to break the ice and familiarize Ryuko with her co-workers. Instead it ended up becoming a minor spectacle, with the young firebrand plowing through the cool front of strangers as effectively as an icebreaker would smash its way to the Arctic Circle.

Observing from the doorway with barely-masked disdain, Satsuki quietly calculated that she needed to ease just a little bit of steam out of Ryuko’s arrogant turbines, and she knew just how to do it, too: a carefully administered ego deflation was in order here. “Oh! Don’t forget to tell them about how Uzu whipped your sorry behind in front of the entire Academy, Ryuko! Sometimes it _is_ important to feel the sting of defeat, in order to appreciate the glow of a hard-won victory. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Eyes up to the ceiling, Ryuko scratched thoughtfully at her chin. “Hmm. Oh, yeah…so, listen up everyone! This Uzu guy that ‘Boss Lady’ here is talkin’ about? Some of ya might have caught his exploits on the professional kendo circuit? Yep, that’s right! Sanageyama Uzu is the guy we’re talking about here! He’s now the top ranked kendo champ in all of Japan! Yeah, so he beat me, like, _once_ when I was a newbie. Uh huh! Hey, so just between you and me…you all know he’s, like… _compensating_ with that big old sword of his, right? Eh? _*snort*_!”

Ryuko pinched her fingers close, grinning as she estimated Uzu’s manhood to be just shy of pathetic. Chuckles and guffaws greeted her ears as the joke impacted the crowd’s attention. Ryuko drank in the hilarious sound of the room’s chuckles, squinting eyes smiling all the way up until they met Satsuki’s stone sober expression, which caused the young braggart to choke upon her own crass euphemisms.

“Urk! W-w-well anyways. _*ahem* Uh…_ yessir, so he royally kicked my bootylicious ass, way back in the day when I was just starting to be a real troublemaker ‘round these parts! Well, I’ll tell ya all a secret. So yeah, I kinda sorta got my dumb ass shot, not too long ago? Yep, that’s right! Took a damn bullet right in the frickin’ _back_! Oh now just relax, everybody…it was just some inept home invasion type thing gone wrong. I’m all right now, obviously! So yeah, when I finally got released from the hospital though? There he was, the big badass champion Uzu himself, taunting me! Yep, poor lil’ _me_ , all pathetically weak and stuff from my stay! So I did what any girl woulda done when her pride was publically attacked: I publically tickle-tortured the crap outta him fer bein’ so disrespectful to me! Yeah! So Sanageyama was all like ‘ _Hey Ryuko, I heard you dropped your guard?_ ’ and I was all like ‘ _Oh, ya mean like…this?_ ’ and I went and grabbed him by that stupid ass flared collar of his and gave him a real ribful o’ Matoi’s tickly wrath! Hell, I even got our buddy Inumuta to get it on video, too! That’s right! I said to him ‘ _Gee, don’t tell Amnesty International about this one!’_ and he went and recorded the whole thing! So yeah, that’s ‘Mr. Tough Guy Uzu’ for ya! He felt my tickly little retribution, but good! Ya ever see him around here, tell ‘im Ryuko said ‘ _Kootchy-koo, sucker!_ ’ Ha-ha!”

Raucous laughter and clapping followed Ryuko as she strutted out of the break room, proud as a proverbial peacock from all the lavish adulation. Satsuki quietly stalked after her, waiting until they were safely out of earshot of their co-workers to snag the ruffian painfully by the earlobe and fling her into an empty room.

“Ow! Satsuki?! _Owwww!_ What the f-“

 _“SHUT UP.”_ Words could not possibly contain more venom as these, injected directly into the young girl’s ear like the whisper of a particularly angry spitting cobra. The young troublemaker froze as Satsuki hissed her warm-yet-somehow-icy breath of seething commentary regarding the breakroom commentary debacle.

“ _You ungrateful **brat.**_ Matoi Ryuko, I’ll have you know that Sanageyama-san gave nearly his entire volume of blood over for you to live when you were shot. All those transfusions…he nearly died, himself. Did you not know of that?”

“Wh-I…uh…n-no? Is that…is that true?”

_“Look into my eyes and tell me I’m lying.”_

Ryuko couldn’t rise up to this challenge, mortified as she was. The gravelly voice, the writhing anger, expertly hidden just out of detection to all, save those who knew her better. She reflexively shivered, knowing that Satsuki at her angriest could split stone as if it were merely wet chalk.

“He…no one told me _that_ , I…I thought you had…?”

“I had to endure my _own_ surgeries at that particular point in time. While they were certainly not the life-threatening debacles you endured, fighting just to stay alive…no, I could not offer you a drop of my own blood. Uzu was the only other person there with the required type, and no one else was available at the time. The amount of blood your fibers needed to repair that level of damage…you depleted the hospital’s already-short blood supply in a matter of hours! _It was life or death_ , Ryuko…he risked his own life just to save yours! That’s why he was too weak to fend off your damned _tickling,_ when you were later released. He was still recovering, even then! Think about _that_ the next time you decide to publically and viciously humiliate the man.”

“Sats…’m so s-sorry, I d-didn’t know he…no one ever _told_ me ‘bout that! I-I…oh, no! I’m such an awful fuckin’ bitch! P-please, f-f-forgive me, I’m s-sorr-eee…!” Ryuko bunched up her hands, covering an uncontrollably shaking chin as she tried to process the enormity of her sins. Rapidly blinking eyes fanned out droplets of warm tears as they streaked out unbidden.

The sincerity of these tears managed to thaw out even the ice-cold fortress of anger that had so effectively locked up the Kiryuin’s huntress heart, so incensed by Ryuko’s callous and shameful character assassination of one of her closest comrades.

Satsuki gently took the sobbing girl’s head, cradling it against her own as she sought to bring this inflamed airship of anguish back to safe ground again. The last remnants of her seething animosity were evaporated by the very real regret that now railed against her iron shoulders. She smoothed over Ryuko’s tousled hair, coaxing the upset youth down with lilting, cajoling words of carefully measured forgiveness.

“It’s okay, Ryuko-chan, it’s all right. Relax, it’s _not_ your fault, sweetheart. Ssshhh…it was just a simple mistake, mistakes happen all the time. It’s how you react to them that matters, okay? Try to relax, it will all be all right. I’m not blaming you. Yes, there you go…”

“Satsuki-sama, I swear to you by all that is holy that I did _not_ know about that! I _*sniff*_ never woulda treated him like that if I’d even been dropped the teensiest hint about it! I thought he was jus’ makin’ _fun_ of me when I got out of the hospital that day, ugh I was so friggin’ mad! I * _sniff*_ didn’t know he’d actually saved my damned w-worthless _ass_! Dammit, how _could_ I…?”

They slowly slumped down to the carpet together, dragged down by the collective weight of their memories, their heartache and their unified sorrows. Ryuko quietly wallowed in Satsuki’s soft clutches in a near mirror-image of that fateful day when the elder caught the younger meteor child during her perilous atmospheric death-fall.

“Your ‘ass’ is more precious than all the world’s diamonds, my poor angel. Please don’t be so hard on yourself. I don’t know _how_ that bit of information failed to make its way to your ears…I suppose it might be because we don’t speak of that day very much? We still haven’t, not…not really. It was the w-worst thing I have ever endured, truth be told. I thought you had died, right there in my arms. You very nearly did, too! You owe a life-debt to Tsumugu for his heroic actions, Mikisugi for his quick thinking, Uzu’s life-giving blood sacrifice…hell, he even provided _me_ with a pint during my  own surgery! My…oh, I’m sorry, I never told you this either…I had lost more blood than was previously anticipated, when they sought to remove that combat blade from my butchered hand. You had burned through their entire on-hand stock of our blood type by then, so they were relying upon Uzu to provide until more plasma could be flown in. He…they had no choice, the surgeons took even _more_ from him so that I would not risk losing my hand, possibly my very arm to uncontrollable exsanguination. It was close, Ryuko. _Too_ close! This hand, the one that now strokes your tears away? I might not even _have_ that now, if it weren’t for him being there.”

“ _*sniff*_ B-but he was okay, right? I mean, obviously he’s alive and all better now! He still can’t kick my ass, but he comes awful close sometimes!”

“Well, he suffered terribly from anemia due to the severity of the blood loss. It was Mikisugi who made that call, to go that far with the transfusions. He juggled the lives of Uzu, myself _and_ your own on that horrible night. That man somehow managed to oversee your trauma surgery, my own hand procedure and Uzu’s recovery all at the same time! In fact, now I recall that when the blood shipment finally arrived, Uzu had to be the first recipient, over you _or_ me! Sanageyama knowingly took an enormous risk, Ryuko. He risked his very life for the both of us. He is a true hero, in every sense of the word.”

“Damn. I’m really sorry, I don’t remember much from that time? Blurs, mostly. Fragments, here and there.”

“Yes, I know. It was a traumatic experience for all. I, too, saw things I…wish I had not seen.”

“Umm…you _saw_ them, didn’t you? Th-the fibers? I know you hinted about that before, but you never really straight up confirmed it. They…came right outta me that night, didn’t they?”

“…yes, they did.”

“Oh, God. I’m _so_ sorry if I scared you. I didn’t mean to! I…l-look Sats, uh…ya see, sometimes I have these, y’know…dreams now and then? Nightmares, really. More often than I care to admit, too! So in these dreams I’m…s-stabbing this…this _guy_ , over and over? Some soldier, I think…and he’s just quivering all over as I run him through with my…Satsuki? Oh God, _SATSUKI!_ ”

Ryuko gasped as Satsuki started to retch uncontrollably, harsh wrenching spasms that racked her abdomen as she clutched painfully at her sides. Panicking, Ryuko could only kneel over her, horrified and mind locked as her dear sister struggled to wrest final control from this most insidious post-traumatic flashback.

Spots and sparks flew out before her cobalt eyes as Kiryuin Satsuki gritted her teeth and shook away the phantom fear tendrils that threatened to choke her, rip out her very insides. Ryuko cautiously offered one shaking hand and Satsuki immediately took it; even _she_ was not so proud as to not seize a hastily-tossed life preserver when she was in imminent danger of drowning.

Slowly, slowly she drew back her focus, _focus_ , _FOCUS, DAMN IT!_ With fist to mouth, sour bile was forced back for the time being…the horrid, spine-prickling visions had passed, finally beaten back by indomitable will. Satsuki gasped, not realizing that she had been holding her breath for far too long. She greedily gulped in cold air, mentally counting down as she sought to cement iron dominion deep within her psyche, once again.

Blinking blearily, Satsuki looked up to check on Ryuko’s condition. She could not have been prepared for what awaited her gaze, however: a pale, gaunt expression and cold blue orbs of deep-seated worry, peeking out from chiseled pits of bruise-dark flesh. She could barely hear the tremulous whispers that slipped out from Ryuko’s slitted lips…but she heard them, all right.

“Oh no. That’s what happened, isn’t it? I--that’s what you saw. That was… _real_. Wasn’t just a dream, was it? No, it was a real nightmare…f-for _you_ , Satsuki…oh shit, you’ve _known_ all this time, haven’t you?”

There was no use in trying to dress up the cold, naked truth now. No flowery dressing could salvage it, for it was there for all to see, the facts written upon her own pained face. Satsuki nodded wordlessly, numbed and wooden, feeling at that moment just like her forever-damaged puppet hand: serviceable utility, but no sensations of feeling.

Ryuko nodded as well, putting together the pieces of a claustrophobic puzzle that she had no idea was even being worked upon, until it was suddenly locked into unavoidable place for her to now regard. She looked down warily at her outstretched palms, as if she was expecting her internal demons to suddenly manifest as external horrors in that exact moment. Shivering at the very idea, Ryuko then whipped her head up, hair forming a wild arc as she looked at her sister with utmost urgency.

“Satsuki…how the fuck can you _stand_ to be this close to such a monster?”

“How? Because I love her with _all my heart_. And also because…I, too, am a monster.”

“You are _not_ a mons-“

“ _Then neither are you._”

“B-but I have these awful life fibers inside m-“

“ _So do I._ ”

“Yeah, maybe so…b-but now I’m a goddamned killer-“

“ _So am I._ ”

“Damn it, it’s not the same! I’ve got lurking inside me the…oh hell, _the potential to_ _murder innocent_ -“

“ _I have murdered innocents, Matoi! Multiple times, and of my own volition!_”

“ ** _No_** , that was all circumstantial! The difference here is that you _never_ lose control! I’m kinda _famous_ for it, Kiryuin! Shit, ask anyone!”

“You acted in defense of yourself, as well as my own sorry ass! That man was about to fucking _shoot_ me, Matoi! That blasted savage was seconds away from blowing my godforsaken _head_ off, until you intervened! I was…I was going to _let_ him, damn it!”

“…f-fucking… ** _what_**?”

“You _heard_ me _._ ”

“I…yeah, I totally heard you, b-but…why would you wanna let him get away with cold-blooded murder, nee-san? _Why_?”

“Because…I _did_ get away with murder, Ryuko! Years ago, I killed his father. Me! _That_ is why he was there, why he took years to organize that whole damned assassination raid.  That is why I was not going to stop him…because I watched you d-die, right in front of me! I…my life was _over_ , at that point! Ryuko, you were _dead_! I held your bloody hand, felt your pulse fade away to nothing! What was I to do, kill him _too_? Wipe out his entire lineage in that terrible moment? Multiple generations of an innocent family, snuffed out by _my_ guilty hand, tool of the terrible Kiryuin family legacy? For what? Kill, kill and kill again…this is all I have ever known! No, I will admit that I succumbed to a terrible, fatal weakness in that horrid moment. I felt as though perhaps…I had never _truly_ loved anyone before I met you, Ryuko-chan. But then, watching that love die, I-I just…found that I couldn’t bear the thought of living _without_ it. _My karma is to suffer._ This is the lot fate had chosen for me long ago, and I felt that somehow… _somehow_ , I owed that man his rightful revenge! I owe so many people so much blood! How am I to pay this awful debt, Ryuko? You don’t know how it feels, to have that weight upon your very soul! I murdered his father! _How did you feel when someone killed your father, Matoi Ryuko_? You were consumed by vengeance, remember? _Vengeance!_ What made that man any less entitled to serve the very same ideal?”

Ryuko’s nostrils quivered and flared as she channeled unknown fathoms of sheer rage at her dumb-ass sibling. So hyper-intelligent, so damned _smart,_ and yet so fucking clueless at the same time. How does that even _happen_? Ryuko snarled through painfully clenched canines as she called down a much-needed righteous illumination strike down upon her guilt-blinded sister.

“La-la-la. Kill, kill, kill…kill la kill, fuckin’ la de fucking dah… _whatever!_ _Kill it!_ Fuck…that… asshole! Yeah, life is tough for everyone, Kiryuin Satsuki! Everybody has to make choices in life! That fucker proved himself to be evil the moment he _chose_ to do what he did! He didn’t care about the concept of harming goddamned innocents, either! I gathered that much from what you an’ Tsumugu told me about that ruthless squad of chucklefucks he used to try and kill us! That selfish piece of shit woulda steamrolled a damned orphanage just to smite you in his quest for revenge, am I right? He wasn’t ‘honorable’ or ‘righteous’ at all! Ya wanna know what I think, Sats? I think that cocksucker reported here for _his_ dose of karma, served piping motherfucking _hot_ by yours truly! Shit, even when I was fucking _dead_ , I knew better than that! Yeah, so…Captain Ahab there, he’s the one who precipitated those damned events! You’re concerned so very much about yer damned karmatic scales, and I’m sure he had his own twisted set, too…but what the both of ya missed is that those scales were always on an even _bigger_ set of scales! _The whole planet’s fate rested in your hands, Kiryuin Satsuki!_ Yours! Not his, and not mine! Yeah sure, you have all the time in the world **_now_** to weigh and inspect what _might_ have gone wrong and what you  maybe coulda possibly done better! Fuck, didn’t you say that hindsight’s always 20/20, not too long ago? Well…guess what, Silly Satsy? _Looks like you need reading glasses for your soul, too!_ ”

The air between them transformed into mortified silence, molecule-still and burdened with the impossible thickness of acrid, stung nerves. Ryuko huffed and steamed quietly, jaw set vise-tight as she reluctantly forced herself to watch random specks of dust flit and swirl about in the shafts of sunlight streaming in from the bay windows. Their shared atmosphere was supersaturated with naked pain now, it could take no more.

Satsuki just sat there, staring dully into the space near Ryuko’s head. She was vaguely aware of the shape, the familiar ‘mess o’ rebellious follicles’ that dominated the ruffian’s backlit silhouette. The very idea of prodding it with more heated speech was to foolishly invite a forest fire, a conflagration from which there would most assuredly be no emotional survivors.

One of her eyelids twitched, unbeknownst to the owner of said eye. Ryuko eventually noted these nearly imperceptible movements, and at first she thought it was signaling an imminent tear or two. It had happened before, could even happen again? It was certainly possible. She’d seen it, one of a few individuals to ever witness such a rare phenomenon.

But no, not now. Mortified shock was all that was pooling in the Kiryuin’s eerily calm eyes right now. Pangs of remorse pricked Ryuko’s heart as she took in the sight of the once-proud woman: brought to her knees by the awesome weight of truth, both figuratively and literally. She bit her lip nervously, then decided to take a chance and open up a hesitant line of communication again.

“I- _*ahem*_ Uh, hey…‘m really _sorry_. Didn’t mean t’ hurt ya like that.”

Satsuki just shook her head slightly. Eyes still fixated on a nonexistent point, she shrugged weakly, barely disturbing her blouse as she did so.

“Sats? Hey, I…uh…borrowed yer favorite purse today.”

The smallest nod. Eyes still not in the present.

“Um…yeah so, I noticed your eyes are really pretty, here in this light…?”

Even smaller nod. Not even a blink.

“Huh…okay, okay. Oh, yeah…by the way. I’m pregnant with Mikisugi’s kid. Whoops!”

A long, protracted blink.

Ryuko allowed a tiny snort of humor to color the room’s mood. She then casually mumbled “Yeah, I’m gonna name it ‘Ragyo, Junior’. You cool with that?”

A small head shake, then a dreamy “…whaaat?” rolled out.

“Are ya up fer some free babysitting, then? Say, maybe you can breastfeed for me? Put those righteous knockers to good use, eh?”

“Over…my… _very_ dead…body, Matoi…”

“Aw, all right. Guess not, then. Ya spoilsport.“

“Sh…should…should have…”

“Oi? I shoulda what, Sats?”

“Should have…just swallowed, Ryuko-chan…”

“Ew! Oh my ever-loving God! So you _did_ hear me, ya damned space cadet!”

“Yes…didn’t _want_ to, but…I did. I…I heard it all. Every word.”

“Nee-sama…please just _look_ at me, if only fer just a brief second, okay?”

Satsuki slowly turned to give Ryuko her full, unflinching gaze. Ryuko braced herself for…something, but there was nothing to brace against, since nothing further actually happened. Satsuki just stared at her, in what seems to be an almost casual manner. Ryuko knew better, however.

“Are ya mad at me?”

“No, Ryuko.”

“Are ya gonna be mad at me?”

“No, Ryuko. I have no reason, nor the right.”

“Ah, you don’t ever need either of those to be angry with me, Sats…it’s like second nature by now, ain’t it?”

“I’m not angry, Ryuko. Nor will I be.”

“Uh, okay. How come?”

“I’m too busy trying to figure out how to be humble. I have been humbled, just now. So that is what I need to be right now. Humble…and rightfully so.”

“Oh. Okay, I guess.”

“Ryuko, I am sorry. I-“

“No, you ain’t gotta be s-“

“ _No_. Please, Ryuko-sama. Let me finish. I must.”

“A-all right. Go ahead.”

“You are right. Your observations have so much wisdom, the gravity of which I simply cannot ignore. I have been so wrong, so _very_ wrong about the philosophies I have espoused up until now. I’ve been so caught up in my plight, all of this terrible guilt, it has tainted my soul for far too long. I…did what I could…oh, _how does that quote go?_ ‘Do what you can, with what you have, where you are’. The American President, Theodore Roosevelt…I believe he said that, or something similar. Why have I not acknowledged that before now, I wonder? I did what I _could_ , as the person I _was_ , at the _time_. I do finally need to recognize that fact, don’t I?”

Ryuko nodded enthusiastically, lips sealed tight for fear of breathing the wrong answer and clumsily shattering this most vital moment. She carefully snaked her hand over next to the Kiryuin’s outstretched palm, allowing Satsuki to move in and close the distance herself, should she decide to do so.

She did so, a warm, firm grasp that held a lifetime of earnest appreciation; sincere thanks for the most precious shred of wisdom that had ever been bestowed upon her. Squeezing firmly, Satsuki’s smile beamed through the haze of her melancholy. They helped each other up, clinging to one another much as they had in their recent time together.

“I owe you a few things, dear Ryuko. To you, I owe the world, my heart and my eternal thanks. I will pay you back for this new lease on life you have gifted me. I swear upon my very honor! I will use the correcting lens of your generous observations to properly ‘read’ the world from now on. Perhaps then my soul won’t be so damned myopic, hmm?”

“Yeah, that’s good. Glad to help, even if it was in the clumsiest way ever! I…uh, oh crud! I think we got incoming, boss…!” Ryuko pointed a slender finger through the crack in the door, gesturing diagonally down the hallway.

The president’s secretary was zeroing in on their general position, a group of visitors in tow. Officials from social services, Satsuki surmised, based upon their dress and subtle demeanor. Of course they had not bothered to make an appointment, such was their hectic schedule.

“Uh, you want me to run interference, Satsuki? I c’n buy ya some time to get yer shit together? I’d totally understand if-“

“ _-ahem-_ Nonsense, Ryuko. Step back, please. This is what I _do_.”

Satsuki smoothed over her outfit, then gracefully stepped out into the expansive hallway, alighting her face with the dignified, warm smile that should accompany the duty of honoring these esteemed guests.

Ryuko marveled at this deft shifting of gears; the smooth, masterfully professional attitude that Kiryuin Satsuki emanated as she cordially greeted the visitors. It was all in how she dealt with life’s unpredictable waves and currents: _this_ was what made her fit to be President Kiryuin Satsuki.

 

 

-

 

 

The rest of the day was, in comparison, blessedly uneventful. Ryuko reeled in her cheeky attitude for a far calmer and more level-headed approach, seeking to somehow present the image of a respectful worker who could get the job done (or at least lay the groundwork for how to someday _be_ that kind of person, at any rate). Satsuki enthusiastically lost herself in numerous work chores, hustling from paperwork pile to phone number lists to e-mail wrangling.

Of course, people like Satsuki always had a complex mind that worked on multiple levels: the ‘here and now’, the ‘where to go next’, and the ‘did it all go well’ formulas were all being processed in rigorous and painstakingly thorough manners. By the close of the work day, ‘here and now’ was deemed to be a fair success; progress was smooth in that area, and she allowed herself to feel a smidgen of pride in piloting these choppy currents so well.

“Where to go next’ was plotted out, as well. Satsuki could see the paths to success in the near future, she just had to balance them, nurture them with good old fashioned work and dedication. Fortunately, that was her specialty.

 _‘Did it all go well…?’_ That query stuck in her thoughts for a long while. She was still musing over that one when Ryuko poked her head into the office, nudging the door open quietly to test the waters. The subordinate worker in her told her to play it cool and be respectful, here at the workplace. The little sister in her then promptly booted the faithful worker in the ass and kicked her out; since it was past quitting time, it was her turn to cut loose.

“Oi! Bossy Pants! We stayin’ late or what?”

“Hmm? Oh, if you wish to leave, you may. You did a good job today, Ryuko. I am quite proud of you! Please do stick to shadowing Ms. Amane-san, she shall teach you the ropes of dealing with the public. She’s been doing this for a long time, and I am confident that you’ll learn a great deal from her.”

“Uh-huh, will do. So…you got plans after work?”

“No, catching up on work was all I had planned. What’s on your mind?”

“Well, I wanted to see if you were down for some archery lessons…it’s been a while.”

“Mmm, I suppose I could find the time. I owe you that much, at least. Where were we, again?”

“Ya know, I was actually thinkin’ of going in a different direction. Are ya familiar with Mongol archery, by any chance?”

“Yes I am, to a certain extent. The equipment and tactics are certainly different, as is the draw. You would need to invest in a different type of bow altogether, of course. Hmm, that is a marked departure from our usual fare, though I see nothing wrong with delving into it as a history lesson of sorts. What about it has piqued your curiosity, if I may be so bold as to ask?”

“Oh, uh…nothing, really…just seems really challenging? I’d like to try it out, see if I can use that kind of training for anything interesting.”

“I see. Well, I -- wait, hold on. Why do I see you using this sort of skill for…nothing good? In fact, if I imagine you of all people utilizing such a—oh no, absolutely _not_. I can see what you are thinking.”

“Wh-what? Naw, I swear I ain’t gonna do anything really crazy or-“

“Ryuko, you want to learn how to shoot from your motorcycle. You certainly don’t have a _horse,_ nor do I see you obtaining one! I’m not entirely brain-dead. _You_ may be, but I beg to differ!”

“Gah?! _How the f--_ shit, you’re no fun at all!”

“So you keep saying. Well, Ryuko…you may call me ‘old-fashioned’ if you wish, but I personally feel that fun might involve freedom. The freedom from being in _prison_ for such a reckless thing! So the answer is a most emphatic ‘ _NO’_ , backed by my very own patented ‘ _try me and see if I’m joking_ ’ guarantee.”

” _*tch*_ Ugh… _fine_. Spoilsport.”

“You were really going to do that, weren’t you?”

“Pfft. What _ever_. I could pull it off, ya know. I’m that good. The best!”

“Yes, I’ve heard of your exploits, what you can accomplish from the back of a motorcycle. I have even witnessed it in action, as you may recall?”

“Ha! What a day _that_ was! I swiped that glove from ya, fair and square…right off yer very own hand, suckah!”

“Indeed you did. You also left a legendary trail of destruction in your path, ‘Tornado Traveler’. I regret to inform you that such a way of living is _over_ , dear. We can ill afford to be twin engines of destruction, as we once were!”

“Aw, you make it sound all glamorous and sweet when ya describe it _that_ way! I can see it now, the ‘ _Twin Sisters of Destruction!_ ’ Aw, hell yeah! The stuff of legend!”

“We’re not twins, you dope.”

“Uh, well…yeah? I know that.”

“So the name is thusly illogical.”

“Oh, fuck logic. Gosh, lighten up, ya bum. It was fun! Here, I’m stealing a chair.”

“These chairs are for guests to sit in, you cannot ‘steal’ one. And another thing: none of that was ever ‘fun’, Ryuko. It was war, plain and simple.”

“Well, I thought it was fun.”

“Oh, did you now?”

 “Uh…well, maybe I didn’t know it was fun at the time, but…yeah, sure…maybe a bit?”

“… _really?_ Even when Harime Nui completely outsmarted and then utterly defeated you? Played you like a fool, shredded your kamui and then left your nearly nude body exposed to the entire world in such a disgraceful fashion?”

“Urk! N-now that was different! See, that was just a-“

“I took a picture of that, you know.”

“You fucking _what?!_ What the hell did you just say?”

“I, Kiryuin Satsuki, president of Honnōji Academy's Student Council, did at that time secure photographic evidence of your sordid defeat, to serve as a potential threat of future blackmail.”

“You…you didn’t…?”

“Hmm. Ah yes, I can see it now, as if it were yesterday! The mighty Matoi Ryuko just lying there, her limp body all shamefully spread out and defenseless for all to see…”

“But…you didn’t do… _that_ though, r-right?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“WHA-AAT? Quit fuckin’ with me! Satsuki, did you do that or not?”

“Perhaps…I did.”

 “I’ll kick your ass to the moon, you titanic bitch!”

“You will not.”

“Omigod, I-I’m gonna cry!”

“You will not.”

“That’s it! Gimme yer phone.”

“It was not taken with _this_ phone.”

 “* _gasp!*_ So you _did_ take a picture then! You admit it!”

“I admit _nothing_. That little detail could merely be a ruse, crafted to lure you into believing a falsehood, a mirage. It has always been child’s play to bait you, dear. You are so predictably reactive to my whims!”

 “Satsukiiiii…?”

“Oh, relax your exploding heart. I would do no such thing. To think of me, taking advantage of a fallen foe in such a reprehensible manner. Why, the very idea!”

“ _*whew*_ …you _promise_ me?”

“Of course! I swear to you that I took no such picture.”

“Oi, well that’s a relief! Boy, you really had me goin’ there for a-”

“Come now, Ryuko-chan. It’s obvious I would have no part in that. I mean, after all… _Inumuta_ was the one charged with documenting everything!”

“Aaaaugh!”

“Now as to if I _still_ possess such a photo? Well now,  that is something else entirely…“

_“KIRYUIIIIN SATSUKIIII!”_

“Promise me that you’ll behave, and I just might turn it over to you. Hmm? The _only_ copy in existence…?”

“Buh-buh…yuh…muh…”

“Listen up! My terms are quite simple. _No_ stupid archery tricks. _No_ attempts at motorcycle-based projectile combat. _None_. Is that crystal clear? You could be hurt, and others could be as well. Not to mention the destruction you’d cause! Promise me, Ryuko!”

“I…you…rrrgh! _*mumble-grumble*_ I…I promise, you bitch.”

“Make me believe you. _Persuade me_.”

“ _*sigh*_ I, Matoi Ryuko, do solemnly swear to my evil, conniving, blackmailing, cold-hearted sister-in-twisted-arms Kiryuin ‘ _Titanium Thongzilla_ ’ Satsuki that I will not attempt any awesome or fun archery stuff while on my motorcycle.”

“On _any_ motorcycle. Or from _any_ motor vehicle, for that matter!”

“Fuck, _fuckity_ , _fuck_. Fine, yeeessss! I swear! Blast you!”

“Ah, very well. Your word is bond, and I shall hold you to that.”

“Fine, whatever! So…?”

“So, what?”

“Uh…hello? The picture? Gimme it, now! Imma _immolate_ that son of a bitch!”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“Wh-what the _fuck_? You promised me! We had an agreement!”

“Ryuko, it never existed.”

“You…fucking…twat!”

“Next time, read the fine print. Oh, look…here it is. I’ll read it to you! _‘This deal shall lead to a forever scorched prized guitar, which shall be reduced henceforth to cinders by my very own lighter, should this promise ever be broken.’_ Hmm, that sounds serious, Matoi! Better to tread carefully from now on, yes?”

“How _dare_ you pull such a dirty, low-“

“I shall secure your safety, Ryuko-chan…no matter the cost! Learn that now or accept it later, it is your choice. I’ll not have you being that reckless anymore! Securing your personal safety is now paramount to me over protecting your slightly wounded pride. I’d rather you were mad _at_ me than dead in _front_ of me. _End. Of. Story._ ”

“I…a-all right. I get it. Uh, look…I’m not _that_ reckless though. Gimme some credit here?”

“I’m sorry. I hope you understand that was something of a joke, if admittedly a poorly executed one? I’m not good at wielding levity in an effective manner, so if I truly hurt you with it, I profusely apologize.”

“Huh. Yeah, I guess so. But still…”

“Look, Ryuko? About…earlier today. I need you to underst-“

“No, please don’t. I _get_ it. Satsuki, I understand what happened, and the why, too. We obviously need to communicate more…or at least better and more effectively, right? But the only message that I’m really getting out of all that chaos is…is…”

“…yes?”

“That you love me something fierce. And it kinda scares me, but it’s also kinda comforting at the same time? I _can_ see the underlying thought, even if it’s a scary ordeal to actually reach it.”

“Yes, this is very true. I’m glad that you _do_ detect that, as I’m quite often apprehensive that you miss my true intentions. I’m really not very good at getting that message across to you, I fear.”

”Hmm…I disagree. Message received, loud and clear! I love you so much it scares me, too.”

“Please don’t fear my love. I will freely admit that it is awkward and uncoordinated and ungraceful, but it is very real. This I swear. You are the very heart of my existence, and I simply cannot bear the thought of you being in any sort of danger, regardless of circumstances.”

“I know, I know. So…hey, let’s bail from here, yeah? All that boring old work’ll still be here tomorrow. Oh yeahhh, I almost forgot! We now have a certain order to pick up!”

“Order? What… _oh!_ Did he finally call?”

“Yep! It’s completed, and about damned time! Gee, that order only took like four frickin’ months to finish! I think he coulda maybe sped it up just a little bit, considering all the dough we tossed his way.”

“Now, Ryuko-san. A true craftsman takes his time, and he is the very best at what he does. Considering what he has created, as well as the significance of such a piece…there are very few _mukansa_ swordsmiths available to create such masterful work on the level we desired, and we were lucky to even secure the talents of such a person in the first place!”

“Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, history and all that. Hey, that dude just about jumped outta his shoes at the chance, once he found out what it _really_ was! So ya wanna go swing by and grab it tonight, then? The guy said he’d be around his shop later this evening to work on some other projects.”

“That would be a most welcome diversion! Let us both bring some joy into Uzu’s life for once, yes?”

“Heh, ya mean instead of denial and constant disappointment? He’ll never get us down!”

“Mmm, well…I don’t know about that, Ryuko. His skill only increases, while my own has regrettably faltered. This hand of mine does not serve me well in that capacity any longer. I am still a rather competent practitioner, of course…but my days as the fearsome ‘Divine Wind of Kendo’ are over, I’m afraid.”

“Ha-ha! Oh, and _speaking_ of Mongols…!”

“Oh, goodness. A most adept observation, Ryuko! And here I thought you just slept through Mikisugi’s history classes!”

“No, that was Mako. C’mon. Let’s go and show the monkey how we really feel. We totally owe him a surprise visit! Hell, come to think of it, I guess we both owe him way more than that, huh?”

“Ah, this is true. Perhaps you’ll even scrape up some actual respect for him as well?”

“Whoa, now just hold on there, Satsy. Let’s not go talking crazy here…”

 

 

-

 

 

They stepped through the main entrance of the dojo to find a cavernous practice space, empty save one green-clad figure who was diligently executing some rather complicated forms on the sparring floor. He stopped suddenly mid-swing, swiveled towards the entrance and called out a jubilant greeting. “Ah! Ladies! Why, this is an unexpected surprise! Welcome to my most humble dojo. Oh lord, I would have made my students clean up around here, had I known you were stopping by so late!”

“What, _you_ clean something up? _*tsk!*_ Guys, they’re all alike! Always needing someone else to clean up after them!” Ryuko mumbled as she held the door open, and Satsuki fixed her with a glare as she strode into the room. “Oh, like _you_ should talk, you ‘Laundry Day Massacre Fugitive’? Don’t be so sexist, you twit.”

That barbed comment served to sew the punk’s mouth shut for a brief moment, which Uzu duly acknowledged by snorting under his breath, then subsequently bowing to his surprise guests. “To what do I owe the honor, my most esteemed comrades? Business or pleasure?”

Satsuki smiled as he graciously took her trench coat and hung it upon the inner door’s coatrack. “A bit of both, perhaps. We come tonight bearing gifts. Ryuko, could you be so kind as to fetch-” She glanced towards Ryuko, who unceremoniously shoved a long package out for Uzu to take. Satsuki trained a look of awkward disapproval upon her wayward assistant, head cocked to one side. “ _*tsk*_ Well, I was hoping for a slightly grander presentation than _that_ , Ryuko. This is a momentous occasion! Could you not have waited until I explained the gravity of this moment to him?”

Ryuko just shrugged, eyes wide with a fidgety mix of embarrassment and impatience. She then waggled the box in front of the perplexed man in an impatient effort to hurry things along. She was tired of Satsuki’s glacial exposition and just wanted to skip straight to seeing the look of pure shock on his monkey face. Uzu perused the box for a brief moment, then looked up at them with a quizzical expression.

“Hm. A sword? For me? Well, it’s not even my birthday yet! Not that I’m complaining, mind you! But I feel as though I should ask about the exact occasion…?” Both pairs of eyes that looked at him were filled with sudden surprise. Ryuko squinted with frustration, then screwed up her nose at his rather blunt exclamation.

“Ugh. Gawd, you dummy! Look, yer supposed to open it up and at least _pretend_ to be surprised? No guessing until you open the damned present! Man, I swear. You’re denser than concrete! No wonder Nonon calls you a monkey! All crass and no class!”

Uzu shouted back at her, defiant fist in the air. “Look, I can’t help it if my senses are so acute! I can sense the shape, clear as day! Next time, try putting it in a sturdier box if you want to keep any secrets from me, Matoi!”

Satsuki rolled her eyes at such childish quibbling. Sometimes she wondered if _they_ weren’t somehow long-lost siblings, such was their antagonism towards each other. “That’s enough out of both of you, please! Now Uzu, I _was_ going to take the time to present this in a proper and dignified manner, but apparently I forgot exactly  who I came here with today? Well anyways…Ryuko’s untimely jumping of the proverbial gun aside, this is obviously a gift meant for you. It is a token of our most sincere appreciation, for all your years of dedication and hard work. Please do open it, my friend. You might still manage to be surprised, after all? You only _think_ you can know the whole story at a glance!”

Ryuko stuck her tongue out at him, just fast enough for Satsuki to miss as she turned her head to nod towards the box. Nostrils flaring, Uzu gritted his teeth as he carefully set the container upon a desk and casually flipped the lid open. It was indeed a sword, as his keen skills had detected. A very beautiful sword, as a matter of fact. Picking it up, he perused the fine craftsmanship of the scabbard. Humming to himself, Uzu then slowly drew the sword out, its blade gleaming under the dull lights. He marveled at the weapon’s perfect balance, then found himself drawn in by the hypnotic _hamon_ pattern, marking the perfect marriage of martensitic and pearlitic steel along the length of the blade. Hmm, now  this sort of flawless differential metal hardening is an old-school technique. _Very_ old-school. Well now, whoever created this piece really knew his stuff! Most interesting…

Mumbling to himself as he read the blade’s inscription, Uzu’s eyebrows raised up higher and higher as characters were carefully examined. “Ahh hmm… _*ahem*_ …now lessee here. ’ _Kotegiri-tachi’_ …ohh, no kidding? Now _this_ …this is a fine replica of a rather famous sword! Yes…the attention to detail here is simply incredible! I can sense the fine crystallization patterns in the blade…my goodness, this is such a well-made instrument! You ladies certainly spared no expense on whoever crafted such a lovely piece! I am truly honored! Oh, this bad boy is going right up on the trophy wall over my desk!”

Satsuki nodded slightly, then gently issued a calm clarification of the facts to the self-proclaimed sword expert. “Ah. I feel that I should let you know that it is not a replica, Sanageyama-sama. It is quite real. You have my word.”

Uzu stared intently at her, then eyeballed Ryuko, then swiveled back to Satsuki. He laughed suddenly, the loud exclamation echoing in the room. “Ha! Yeah, right! That’s a good one, Satsuki-sama! Oh sure, I can just see it now. _‘Hey sis, let’s go and put one over on dumb ol’ Uzu’_ , right? Eh? Well...nice try, girls. This can’t possibly be real. That would mean this is an _actual_ Masamune blade! The _Kotegiri-Masamune_ , to be exact! No, I know _exactly_ what I am looking at! Well now, _this_ monkey didn’t wake up any dumber this morning, I’ll have you know! It’s just a replica. Oh sure, it’s an amazing forgery! But still…it _can’t_ be real. There’s just no way.”

Ryuko smirked and turned her head, coughing quietly as she sought to conceal the giddy laughter now bubbling up to the surface. Satsuki chose to face his disbelief head-on with a quiet sort of calm humming. Uzu grinned broadly, proud of his superior detective skills at sniffing out such an obvious ruse. But the more he regarded the unnervingly serious demeanor of the Kiryuin woman now before him, the less certain of his judgment he was.

Looking down once again at the sword, Uzu snorted, then tried to conjure up a confident chuckle. It looked so real: the superb lines, the magnificent details…his otherworldly senses were telling him that the quality of this blade was simply unparalleled, possibly even the best blade he had ever beheld. But for it to be the real thing? Pfft! _He_ wasn’t going to fall for such an obvious trick. Right?

“Pfft! _I’m_ not going to fall for such an obvious trick! Now look here, if I were to assume it’s real, this would be one of the most legendary swords ever made! This…no, this is not the sword used by Lord Asakura Ujikage himself in battle, I mean _come on_! That would make this a priceless relic! This can’t be the…real thing… _*ahem*_...now can it, Lady Satsuki? Come on. Admit that, at least.”

“What, that it’s priceless? Quite possibly. Yet a price it certainly had, Uzu-sama. Let’s just say that a certain corrupt government official once felt an obligation to pay respects to a close business associate of Kiryuin Ragyo. Oh, she found it so delightfully humorous, to have the very government of Japan itself bowing down and beseeching from her organization a most merciful boon! So there it rested in his private collection, until that very associate’s family found themselves in the deepest of debts, fallout from the end of Ragyo’s reign of terror. The opportunity then presented itself to rescue a legendary piece of history, which I promptly did.”

Ryuko cleared her throat, eager to push Uzu’s clumsy embarrassment out for all to see. “Hey, we were so lucky to grab this thing when we did. It was gonna be snapped up by some foreign sword collecting bozo before some sneaky financial strings were yanked by yours truly! You better believe it’s the real deal, considering the dough it took to get it! Feelin’ dumb yet there, eh smartass?”

Crossing her arms, Satsuki nodded, then added her own flavorful details. “Actually, I pulled the actual ‘strings’. The auction tip off was received through some business associates of mine. Ryuko here was kind enough to help out by securing the majority of the funding necessary to make it possible. It was a fierce battle, but we won out in the end, of course.”

His eyes grew wide, the facts finally falling securely into place. “So it _is_ a real…! My God. A true Masamune blade? Why, I don’t deserve this! I—b-but this must have cost a small fortune to buy! Wait, no…a large fortune! Hell, I can’t even imagine the immense-“

Ryuko slapped her thigh in frustration, the resounding smack echoing in the room. “Oi! Why don’t ya let us decide what is deserved here, eh? It’s just money, you jerk-off! Look, Sats said this thing would have extra special meaning to you or whatever. Was she wrong or what, huh? Yeah, you just go ahead and tell her she was wrong about something, I dare ya!”

Uzu stared at the sword with great reverence as he mumbled a quiet reply. “Ah, no. She was, as usual, not wrong in the least. This sword was named the _Kotegiri-Masamune_ …you see, legend has it that the lord who wielded it managed to cut off an enemy samurai’s arm in battle during the Ōnin War, over five hundred years ago! Because of this, it’s named after that wrist strike, the very one I call out during my matches. And Masamune was Japan's greatest swordsmith, of course! To be worthy of even _holding_ such a sword…it would take a true champion of legend to deserve such an honor.” His gaze was lost in a swell of reminiscence about histories past, both long ago as well as more recent events.

Satsuki placed one hand upon his shoulder, squeezing gently in an effort to get his attention. “Uzu-san, you _are_ such a champion, my friend. You served me most faithfully as one of my top lieutenants, and I simply could not have made it this far without your penchant for displaying sheer bravery in the face of pure evil. We took great pains to secure this sword in the name of your honor. Will you accept it?”

He sat down at the desk, suddenly caught in a rare current of absolute seriousness. His eyes never left the sword as chin was balanced upon fist, a stunned look upon his face. “Hoo boy. What a funny week this has been. You know, it’s funny…my parents were here earlier this week. They stopped by to preach to me about my status as a respected kendo champion, and how I needed to be careful not to tarnish _their_ reputation by abusing my own! I couldn’t believe it. Finally… _finally_ , I’m not living under the shadow of my ‘so-much-better’ older brother. Now they view me by my own light! Of course they would tell me this by berating me, as usual! But still, the whole ‘noting my newfound respect’ sentiment was a nice change from never being good enough in their eyes, that’s for sure! I thought _that_ was to be the surprise to end all surprises this month! Now this…I can’t believe I‘m sitting here, accepting an actual Masamune sword as a gift.”

Uzu fiddled absently with a tiny sword letter opener on his desk, twirling it back and forth as he considered these events. “It’s strange, when you think about it. I’m currently undefeated on the kendo circuit. I’ve accomplished most of my personal goals: won my family’s genuine respect, achieved widespread fame as a fighter…hell, I’m almost worried about peaking too early.”

Satsuki regarded him with a withering look.  “Peaks are for mountains, Uzu. You must seek to aim ever higher. There are _no_ limits, save that which you set upon yourself! And as far as the sword is concerned…please do be careful with it. It’s not a bloodthirsty Muramasa blade, you know.”

“Ah, indeed I shall. It shall see no blood, I promise you. Such a work of art! It should be in a museum, to tell you the truth. In fact, I think I _did_ perhaps see this in the museum once, when I was a kid!”

“Perhaps. It is now yours to do with as you see fit. You may have seen it in the museum. It had, in fact, been preserved in the Tokyo National Museum, up until that government stooge used his position to confiscate it in an effort to appease Ragyo. It was displayed there for the longest time…as a blade only, of course. As you can see, this sword has now been masterfully rebuilt. This blade has not been mated to a handle in over three hundred years!”

Uzu nodded thoughtfully. That must have been the reason, why his senses were confused when he first examined it. The handle was brand new, this he could immediately tell…it had then been erroneously assumed that this was an indicator of its status as a wholly-made replica. Well, he knew better now, that was for certain. He raised up slowly and faced his former commander, fixating an almost fanatical stare of adulation upon her as he did.

“Lady Satsuki-sama. I cannot tell you how this makes me feel. I don’t deserve such a gift! There’s no need to acknowledge my service in this manner. It was the right thing to do…I knew it was my destiny. In fact, I owe _you_ more! By serving you, I learned more than I ever could have anywhere else. I would not possess the faculties I have at my disposal now if it weren’t for me striving to be a challenge for your own elite skills. True, I suppose I never got one up on you, not really…but I’m proud to have been second place to you, Academy President Kiryuin-sama.”

Satsuki responded with a subtle, glowing smile that Uzu had never really witnessed before in his illustrious leader: her eyes danced in a refreshing, almost mischievous manner. “Uzu, I am not your superior. Not any longer. Please just call me Satsuki from now on. My old name, those old titles? They have long since been retired. I am no longer she…I am simply _me_.”

“Hmmm. I cannot promise that I will be able to honor such a request.”

“I no longer have the authority to enforce it.”

“Ahh…? Well now, that means you really _have_ changed.”

Uzu placed the sword back into the scabbard, then lowered it down into the wooden case, gently nestling it back into the delicate velvet silhouette lining the box interior. His fingers tapped thoughtfully upon the handle as he considered the enormity of the gesture now before him.

“I will honor your request, on one condition. Fight me again with all of your focus, here and now. Bring _her_ out of retirement for one last, glorious match, for old times’ sake! Would you do me the honor of granting me this one request?”

“Hmm. Very well, Sanageyama-san. I accept. Have you a _gi_ I may borrow for the time being? My work outfit is hardly ideal for such combat.”

Uzu’s eyes lit up, buzzing like a sugar-addled child at the exciting prospect of the coming duel. “Oh, sure! I got all sizes out back, I snagged a big bundle discount from the uniform store! Be right back!” Sanageyama darted away, rifling through a back closet for a suitable uniform. Springing back in a green blur, he delicately presented the package, still wrapped in plastic, to the lady now before him. Satsuki graciously nodded as she accepted the uniform.

Ryuko guided Satsuki to the changing rooms as Uzu excitedly began a set of warm-up routines. She peeked around the corner at his raucous flailing before casting a concerned eye towards her sibling. “Umm…you sure about this, Sats? I don’t wanna be accused of coddling you or whatever, but are you in the proper condition for this sort of battle right now? I mean his skill has grown a ridiculous amount since he last sparred with you, back in the day. I’m just warning ya, he’s downright vicious now! The jackass even gives _me_ trouble now!”

Satsuki looked up, smirking as she fitted a belt around her lithe waist. “I promise you that this will be the shortest match you have ever witnessed, Ryuko.” Ryuko watched her sibling’s eyes, sparkling with bright confidence. Satsuki grinned broadly, nodding as the young upstart reveled in the idea of being a front-row witness to the crushing of Uzu’s immense cockiness, once again.

“Yeah? Right on, Sats! Knock the stuffing right outta his prancing ass! School is now in session: President Kiryuin on deck! Ha-ha!” Ryuko beamed, tongue waggling in pre-taunt mode as Satsuki strode confidently back into the main combat area.

She matched eyes with her opponent as they synchronized positions across from one another. A bow was executed by each person, then stances were readied, _shinai_ expertly gripped by both combatants. Satsuki’s eyes were stone cold steady as glances met. Uzu breathed in deep, then focused all of his will towards the coming storm.

“Okay! Ready, aaaaand _begin!_ ” Matoi Ryuko blurted out, and both forms were seen streaking towards each other in a rushed blur. Uzu drew a breath in preparation of calling out his first strike when something very surreal happened: a bamboo sword was observed to be hurtling directly towards his head, with no one thrusting behind it?

He moved to block the missile as it reached his strike zone, which he did effortlessly. The moment he reached out with his senses to locate the missing wielder of this sword, however…that’s when embarrassment struck. Specifically, it struck his solar plexus, driving out his prepared call with a wet choke as a fist crashed up from below to incapacitate him.

Uzu eventually pieced it together. It just took a moment to put the scenario together into a properly understood narrative. Satsuki had hurled her sword up and then proceeded to deftly slide between his legs, striking straight up into his solar plexus to prematurely end the fight.

He coughed, spluttered and gasped as Ryuko’s shrill laughter echoed inside the dojo’s walls. She fell upon her butt, tears streaming down as she lost her mind to the sheer hilarity of the situation. Lips pursed slightly, Satsuki rose up, primly dusting her knees off as Uzu stared at her, his eyes bugging out with sheer incredulity. He finally managed to blurt out a hasty comment as Satsuki gently returned her sacrificed _shinai_ back to the equipment rack next to the far wall.

“ _*huk-heff*_ What’s the meaning of this? That _*cough*_ …that wasn’t a sanctioned move!”

“This wasn’t a sanctioned _match_ , either. It’s just a friendly tussle between friends. Look, I’m sorry about this, I truly am. I cannot seek to offer you a comprehensive battle, truly worthy of your pride. Uzu, my past injuries have reduced me to being merely a competent kendo opponent. The superlative warrior you yearn to one day defeat? The ‘Divine Wind of Kendo’ no longer _exists_ , my friend. You must learn to accept this fact and put away your thirst for besting me. I hope you understand.”

“No! But you are at _the_ top, th-the very pinnacle of human achievement…this was my ultimate goal! Now you say that ‘she’ no longer exists? Really? Not even as a…”

“Oi! Shaddap, you mopey monkey. You want some _real_ ass kicking? Come over here and receive the ultimate whipping, konjac junkie!”

Uzu slowly looked over to Ryuko, smiling sardonically as he did. “Matoi. Oh, so you’re coming to finish me off now, hah? Don’t push me, Ryuko! I’m feeling it tonight, like never before! The lines of energy, the waves! I can see them right now, coursing through you! It’s giving me the advantage…are you willing to tempt fate?”

She pursed her lips together coquettishly as she sauntered up, fingertip playfully twirling her red streak. “I was _born_ to tempt fate, you cocky chucklehead. Sword me.” One hand hovered in midair as Ryuko waited for the bold challenge to be met.

A _shinai_ arced overhead, flung effortlessly by the tall viridian-clad warrior. It fell precisely into her palm, slapping sound echoing in the room as Uzu’s eyes flashed to meet her own. Satsuki glided over to the doorway, keen to see how this would play out. That energy…she could sense it too. It crackled and sparked between the two figures, so she backed off to see just how Ryuko and Uzu would accomplish the tempting of fickle fate on this very evening.

Ryuko flipped off her socks into the corner, feet now splayed out as she adopted a comfortable stance, _shinai_ thrust out before her. Her toes rippled as they tested the floor, seeking to set the solidity of her form. Sweats and a tank top were good enough for this job, she didn’t need some high-falutin’ uniform or whatever. Sanageyama’s eyebrows arched and flitted, then held firm as he sniffed at her actions with slight disapproval.

Eyes rolling with a hint of exasperation, Ryuko blew strands of hair off from her forehead as she stiffly bowed to him, as was the preferred and proper conduct under his roof. He matched the vaguely respectful bow with his own, eyes never leaving the young viper’s form as he did. Facing Ryuko in combat was always akin to handling dynamite, sweating oily nitroglycerin as it threatened to violently react to any sort of mishandling. The main difference between Mr. Nobel’s chemical invention and the being now before him was that dynamite could be stabilized, whereas there was no way to realistically contain Ryuko’s explosiveness if somehow triggered.

Satsuki nodded to both figures in turn, then called out her firm order.

“Begin!”

There was the briefest of pauses between the two warriors as they sized each other up, and it evaporated in a sudden flash. Ryuko sprang with the ferocity of a starving Bengal tiger, and Uzu subsequently struck as though his sword were transformed into pure bamboo lightning.

Swords clashed, the wood clacking and creaking with the intensity of their blows. This was no friendly match, Satsuki immediately surmised: it was a grudge match with unfathomable reservoirs of emotion and past history fueling both combatants. They were so much alike, the two of them. Fiercely stubborn, easy to rile, hard to match in a real fight. A generous dose of arrogance was also shared in their respective attitudes as well: it was no wonder that they rubbed each other wrong from the very beginning.

Lady Satsuki pondered this as she watched the duelists clash. These were the two individuals who had each provided her with the most challenging sword duels of her life: blade for blade, blow for blow…she had measured her skill against their power, more than anyone else. Between Uzu’s supreme technique and unearthly insight, contrasting with Ryuko’s unparalleled power and unpredictable chaos, Satsuki owed them both a debt for the wealth of learning opportunities they had both afforded her. After all, what good was her sword unless it could be honed and tested against something truly worthy?

“ **Men!** ” _*crack!*_ “ **Dou!** ” _*crack!*_ “ **Kote!** ” _*crack!*_

Uzu narrated each strike, as was his customary habit. His offense was superb today: Ryuko was taken aback by the swiftness and precision of his swings. She thought back months ago to the last time they sparred, and though it was close, her stamina had ultimately allowed her to win that contest. He was always remarkably quick, crafty and above all: relentless. But this time there was an abnormally frenetic push of fire present in his soul, and this additional fuel was sure to overwhelm even her superhuman reaction times if allowed to continue. Time to ditch the defense, then…remind him that he’s only _human_ after all.

Roaring with a bellow of barely contained rage, she then answered by unleashing a staccato of rapid shots, purposefully drawing attention to the swordsman’s center mass. She didn’t ever bother to call her shots, choosing to allow her _shinai_ to announce them instead. Why he shouted out his strategic thought process during a match was beyond her. Kendo’s rules (like most rules) bored her to tears, she only was after the savage thrill of it all. But wait…hmm…wouldn’t _that_ be funny if she-?

Ryuko began to call out her own shots on a mischievous whim, but fuck the rules…she just randomly blurted out whatever came to mind as she piled on the pressure. _‘You wanna call all the shots, Monkey Man? Try focusing your infinite senses on this load of nonsense, ya jackass!’_

“ **Dou!** ” _*crack!* ‘Head shot!’_ “ **Kote!** ” _*crack!* ‘Head shot, again! Ha!’_ “ **Men!** ” _*crack!*_ _*crack!* ‘Wrists!’_ “ **Kote!** ” _*crack!*_ _*crack!*_ _*crack!* ‘Torso! Head! Wrist! Suck it, Monkey Boy!’_

Oh, Ryuko liked _this_ tactic. Sanageyama’s face was getting red, and it wasn’t from exertion, either. “ **Dou!** **Dou!** **Kote!** _*crack!*_ MENDOUDOUDOUKOTE ** _MEN_**! _*crack!*_ Ryuko sang to herself internally, barely able to refrain from giggling like a drunk hyena at these results. _‘Oh, that face! How d’ya like them apples, sucker?!’_

Ryuko decided that this sort of activity would absolutely piss her off if utilized against herself, guaranteed. But it sure was fun employing it against the former Student Council Athletic Committee Chair, now wasn’t it? He was showing signs of becoming visibly angry, but it wasn’t riling him too much.

Scare tactics didn’t faze him. Neither did confusing ones, either. It was all a matter of reading the energy flows, of divining the proper path from within the many senses he had at his disposal. He had been goaded by experts, and if he could survive even Harime Nui’s cloying presence in battle without his regalia, he could survive damned near _anything_.

No, Uzu took it as more of an affront towards his beloved kendo: though it wasn’t meant as such, it was perceived as a taunt, a mocking of his sport’s revered rules. He would pay her back for this most grievous insult with forceful humiliation, via his supreme confidence and skill. The satisfaction of getting under his skin would not be claimed by this fiery upstart… _not today!_

“ **Men!** ” _*crack!*_

“ **Dou!** ” _*crack!*_

“ **Kote!** ” _*crack!*_

Sanageyama hammered away at Ryuko’s defenses like a steam piston, trading fearsome strike for close call as he whirled, dodged, and struck time and again like a mad dervish. As dangerously unpredictable as Matoi was, he was noticing that she had some bad habits that could cost her dearly, given time and patience. If it weren’t for her unreal strength and uncanny reflexes, he would already be bowing to her as part of his victory. But he was enjoying this mad rush, along with the knowing certainty that he could do no real, permanent harm and thusly could unleash his full power upon her. Sometimes he suspected that it was the only time he truly felt alive, cutting loose like this.

For Satsuki, this was all just a very, very fast and violent chess match. She sat there in a chair near the entrance, legs crossed and with hands woven together, index fingers pointed upwards to her lips as tactics were carefully measured, calculated and rated. Keen eyes darted back and forth, following every nuance of the battle as it raged before her. Colliding _shinai_ repeatedly buffeted her with the force of their shock waves, almost feeling at times as though physical slaps were being cast across her cheeks. It was a small miracle that the bamboo survived each hit, such was the strain of every blow. This was turning out to be a most interesting match, indeed.

She hadn’t accompanied Ryuko for any of her impromptu bouts at Uzu-sama’s dojo before today. Either from being too busy or just wanting Ryuko to have a life apart from her own, Satsuki often felt a smattering of discomfort, as though she were somehow guilty of monopolizing their personal time together. She simply didn’t speak up, or make efforts to insinuate herself in her sibling’s personal plans. If she were invited, Satsuki would not be so uncouth as to decline, but more often than not she stayed at home while Ryuko tangled with Uzu, lounged with Mako or copped the occasional music lesson from Nonon.

This tangling came to a head just then, as Uzu managed to take advantage of a sloppy swing aimed at his bushy dome. Turning, he struck with lightning fierceness just as Ryuko’s sword crossed where his skull was but a brief moment ago. Eyes closed and head turned away, he reached out with his hyper-keen awareness and simply sensed where the opening was, effectively threading the needle in the middle of a hurricane to land the perfect blow: the tip of his weapon landed squarely against her jaw.

 _“ **Men!** ”_ _*crack!*_

“ _Urk_ -!” The savage hit rent her lip into bloody shreds, ropes of blood gouting down upon the floor as she reeled from the surprise strike. Ryuko could have penetrated wood with the force of this crimson mistake, such was the intensity of her blood’s pressure. She held up one trembling hand that slowly curled into a shaking fist as she silently condemned herself for being lazy, for not taking him more seriously.

 _‘Fuck me. He didn’t even look in my direction that time! Gotta concentrate and get serious, get my head back in the game! Shitshit **shit** , that really fucking smarts!’ _The young punk spat out a generous wad of blood and drool upon the floor, mouth filling with hot, salty waves from her lacerated cheek. It was mending already; she could feel the odd, tingling flush of life fibers working to knit her split flesh together again. Uzu had caught her dead to rights fair and square and she knew it was a well-deserved shot… _that_ sort of pain was not something her fibers could possibly address.

A sudden stiffness nailed Ryuko to the spot as she fought the maddeningly insane urge to go airborne and target his throat with canines bared. It would be so easy, to spool up to full fiber-blessed speed, slap that pathetic bamboo toothpick away and…and just _tear_ out this impetuous human’s jugular for even daring to- _‘WHAT? No! No, that’s crazy. What the hell is that all about? I ain’t gonna do that, s-sink my teeth into his bloody damned neck? That ain’t me! This ain’t right, wanting to go after all the damned b-blood coursing in his fat, pulsating jugular…n-not cool, Matoi. Not cool at all…”_

Satsuki barely flinched. She knew well in advance that they had special rules for their all-out war bouts, and this sort of brutality was a somewhat expected occurrence. Still, it was hard to watch. As dispassionate as she needed to be in observing this match play out, the Kiryuin warrior knew just how painful it could be, to slip up and allow such a brutal strike to make such contact. As much a mental journey as it was physical, this was to be expected when your game slackened just a little bit too much.

_‘Honestly, that was a perfectly executed strike, dear heart. Never trust their sword, Ryuko…trust their eyes, their body language. Yet Uzu even challenges that notion now! Ah yes, the essence of his zanshin has truly become peerless in every aspect of combat. This former lieutenant of mine has become most fearsome indeed…!’_

Grimacing, Ryuko squinted through harshly slitted eyes as Uzu patiently waited, guard up and stance at the ready as his barely-concealed smirk peeked out from under a bush of greenish hair. A metallic, raspy growl coiled up in the top of her throat, and it was only through sheer blast-furnace effort that she was able to forge it into a somewhat friendly sounding chuckle instead.

“ _*ptui*_ Bleh, damn it all. Good one, ya sneaky lil’ fucker! Nice shot, I guess.”

Sanageyama grinned, bright steel-gray eyes never once leaving hers as she sought to recompose herself. “Hnhh. Maybe, Matoi. You know me, I’ll take a shot at any window, regardless of size or risk. It was you who left _that_ one open, so don’t you blame me for sneaking in and stealing your lunch!”

A hair-trigger temper was splashed with this small yet effective dose of volatile taunting, and it subsequently flared up into a bright bloom of napalm rage. “Fine, then eat _this_ for dessert! Rrrrraaaaagh!”

Her sword accelerated to near-supersonic speeds in a fraction of a second, and it was all he could do to block such a fearsome attack. It was a fast strike, even for one such as Ryuko, and his enhanced senses had a hard time tracking it properly. For one brief moment it felt as though he was somehow jousting with a cement truck instead, as the incredible force reverberated through his sword, then his limbs. She was well and truly _pissed_ , now!

“Oh, whoopsy daisy! Uh…’ ** _Men_** ’, I guess? _*snort*_ ” Ryuko giggled as she then ducked from a series of whooshing tornado blows, Uzu’s sword tip brushing her hair repeatedly like a fanatically determined hair stylist. Twirling around like a manic ballerina in response, she employed her usual tactic of picking a single target and only allowing her eyes to see that spot as reference, to avoid a spell of dizziness from interfering with her next whirlwind attack.

As she prepared to launch into her famous _‘Acrobatic Drilling Sword Barrage Attack’ (_ _アクロバティックな掘削剣弾幕攻撃_ _)_ , something somehow managed to distract her laser focus. It was nagging at the very edge of her peripheral vision, and she was helpless to resist the urge to quickly investigate it, if even for only a split second: after all, she had important ass kicking to do. The briefest of glances turned into an accidental stare, snagging upon a hidden urge deep within her jumbled psyche. A coagulating pool of her own precious blood was glittering under the dojo’s harsh lights, shameful evidence of her earlier incompetence. Concepts such as time and movement ceased to mean anything to Ryuko as she felt an impossibly cold chill brush through the base of her skull.

She could see her own face reflected in the blood’s glistening surface, which should have been absolutely impossible given the severity of the viewing angle. Yet there it was…a vision of her very own face, contorted into an unholy demon of sharp fangs and hollow, hungry eyes.

What frightened her was not the hideousness of the daydream gone mad, but the oddly seductive reaction blossoming within her now-pounding heart...a pounding that was resonating somewhere deep within her lower anatomy as well. It was somehow interpreted as an echoing, accusatory scream, similar to _‘TAKE it! Claim their blood NOW, it is YOURS by rightful inheritance as THE superior creature!’_ It was this disturbing vision, playing out in horrifying clarity behind confused sapphire-geared eyes, which allowed Ryuko’s opponent to mount a most devastating assault.

“ **Tsuki!** ”

This strike, aimed perfectly at Ryuko’s throat, was simply meant to punish the young girl for dawdling as she hesitatingly retreated back from her attempted offense maneuvering while still trying to recover from this most unexpected distraction. He honestly did not expect her chin to still be opened up as the sword came bolting in, as she was always, _always_ way too fast to catch with such an obvious bait technique in the past. But still, the opening _was_ there, and he simply could not resist such a beautifully engraved invitation.

Regrettably for Ryuko, the nightmarish distraction was just enough to slow her reaction time to be merely human level in measurable velocity, and she paid the price in a most human manner as well. Uzu’s sword came in with such ferocity that the tip fractured, then immediately exploded upon impact with the innermost point of her steel-hard clavicle. Of course, even actual steel would fracture under the right conditions, and Ryuko’s collarbone was no different. The crunch of bone combined with the brittle snap of bamboo, marking the end of this match with a savage, jagged note of eerie finality.

Ryuko quickly fell to one knee, silver-red pain blossoming in her upper chest as sharp bones sawed through suddenly-lacerated tissues. The echo of the sounds still reverberated in the dojo as both Ryuko and Uzu dropped their respective swords: her mostly out of pained surprise and him out of unexpected shock. Their _shinai_ clattered to the floor with a series of clacks and thuds as they slowly turned to face one another. Uzu was filled with equal measures of elation and worry, pride and concern: she didn’t cry out, she had just…stopped. All motion had simply ceased. This wasn’t like her at all.

He never wanted to actually harm the antagonistic brat, _especially_ in front of the divine wind of lethal sisterhood now standing just across the way…this would be most disrespectful to all parties concerned. Unsportsmanlike conduct was something he doled out the harshest of punishments for at Honnōji Academy, and now was not the time for hypocrisy…not in front of Lady Kiryuin Satsuki (No, no…it’s just _Satsuki_ now, you idiot monkey!) herself.

“Matoi! My God, are you all right? Did that strike…are you wounded? Er…I thought maybe-“

“GRRRrrrrr…shut up, ya giant wuss! You could _never_ hope to actually hurt _me_ with that little toothpick of yours! It ain’t Bakuzan, that’s fer sure!” Nostrils flared as she sprayed out equal amounts of animosity and fresh blood towards her opponent’s general direction. The only thing that hurt more than her collarbone was the stinging realization that she just lost the match to such a sanctimonious blowhard.

“Ah? Well, o-of course. I was just checking out of sportsmanlike courtesy. So…?”

“ _*sigh*_ So. Point…and match. You _…_ you _win_.” 

Uzu tried not to be too outwardly elated at this bitterly mumbled proclamation. He wanted to be humble and modest in his approach, since he espoused this virtue quite frequently to his own students. Still…for his parents to acknowledge his success _and_ to finally beat _the_ Matoi Ryuko herself, fair and square? In the same  month, no less? Oh, and the sword?! An actual Masamune blade! Holy hell, how the fuck did all _that_ end up happening? Swirling dizziness manifested itself, and Uzu had to withdraw himself from the ever-powerful urge to be his usual brash and cocky self about it. _‘Subdue that inane craziness, stupid! Whatever you do, do not gloat. Lady Satsuki is watching you! Be cool, stud! Be cool…’_

Arms rigidly beside him, Uzu bowed, a deep show of sincere respect towards his volcanic rival. “Thank you for a most exhilarating match, Matoi-san. You always have been, and most likely always shall be, my most vexing opponent.”

Holding her throbbing shoulder, Ryuko fired off a quick nod, her best effort at a bow at that point in time. Agony notwithstanding, she wasn’t about to reward him with the satisfaction of fainting from the pain. This was taking up most of her concentration, and the sooner she was out of there, the sooner she could relax without the threat of further humiliation hanging over her soundly whipped ass.

Satsuki clapped once, a sincere testament to the match that played out before her. “Thank you for being a most gracious and kind host, Uzu-san. I must commend your immense fighting spirit. You have now grown to exceed my expectations! Truly do your keen eyes see victory, in all its many forms.”

He beamed, nodding as he acknowledged the rare compliment. “Milady honors me too much. It is only by your peerless guidance that I’ve been able to accomplish any semblance of greatness at all! But it is most appreciated, rest assured.”

Ryuko just grunted, then rolled her eyes in an animated effort to put forth an unconcerned front. “Meh. He was all right, I guess. Musta been all that spicy chili I had earlier, keepin’ me down. Ya hear me, Monkey Boy? It took some bad chili to get me down, not _your_ weak-ass efforts!”

Sanageyama smiled broadly, nodding as he accepted the delicious insults into his glowing soul. “Come back any time, Matoi…that’s _two_ victories I’ve got up on you, now, isn’t it? Someday I’ll make it three, too!”

She responded by crooking up her hands in a sordid motion, mimicking a monkey scratching at its own armpits. “Yeah? Well…I say ’kootchy koo’ to _that_ , ya ticklish fucker! Enjoy yer shiny new sword, Konjac Lad. You earned it. Hey Sats, you ready to split? I’m all tired and hungry now.”

Gingerly rubbing her tender shoulder, Ryuko winked as she eyed Satsuki’s concerned gaze, trying to put her at ease while putting up a practiced front of brave casualness as well. Satsuki nodded, gently placing Ryuko’s sneakers in front of her as she neared the entrance. Ryuko slipped into the footwear, jaw clenched hard as the effort triggered agonizing spasms in her swollen chest muscles. She shoved her wadded-up socks deep into one pocket, since bending over to slip them back on was _not_ going to be happening at this particular point in time (not without uber-embarrassing shouts of agony, anyways).

“Okayyyy…mmmyep. This is one ruined sports bra. Ain’t getting’ all this blood outta that fabric, I can tell ya that right now! Oh heyyy, can you _uhmm_ …drive us back home, if ya don’t mind?” Ryuko breathed out slowly, wincing in mostly hidden agony as she slid carefully into her jacket. Satsuki nodded, knowing more than she let on in her voice’s hushed agreement. The elder sibling turned and waved goodbye to Uzu, himself being too thrill-high to do much more than wave back. His vacuous grin and robotic wave told her that he wasn’t quite standing on this plane of existence anymore so much as floating on it.

“I’ll return this uniform to you at a later date, Uzu. I promise to not be such a stranger in the future.” Satsuki caught his giddy acknowledgement as they exited the dojo. “Go ahead and keep it as a memento of our ‘final battle’, Satsuki-sama! Lord knows I’ll never forget the lessons I learned here tonight…”

 She turned her attention to Ryuko, opening the door for her as she noted the no-so-subtle wince of one who was in a fair amount of agony, and was still trying in vain to hide it. “Are you all right, Ryuko? I hear that last blow. I think I _felt_ it, too! That crack, it wasn’t just the sword...I fear your collarbone is most likely fractured now, yes?”

A dangerously aggressive growl was forced into a choked cough, which then was dressed up and presented as a most unconvincing laugh of sorts. Ryuko provided her thoughts in a sheepish sing-song manner that would hopefully serve to obfuscate her true feelings on the most infuriating matter. “Oh, well ya know…it’s probably busted into kindling right now! _He_ doesn’t need to know that, though. I won’t give him the satisfaction! Bones will most likely be all healed by tonight, no worries there. Shit, only thing he  really wounded was my pride! My pride ain’t everything it used to be, I guess, huh?” Ryuko attempted to shrug, whereupon she discovered that the muscles and bones involved in such a motion were too busy being a mangled mess of contusions and bruising to allow both shoulders to equally participate. This elicited yet another annoyed grunt through her gritted teeth.

Satsuki grinned, eyes twinkling in the parking lot’s low light as she unlocked the sedan. “Ah, to some, it is…to some, it was. I was quite prideful, to the point of it being a virtual sin. The weight of it was immense, I’m sorry to say. My arrogance fed upon it, and I know this now to be true. That is what feeds arrogance: an overabundance of unchecked pride. I alone wanted the supreme glory of killing Mother...so badly I could taste it! As a result, I made tactical mistakes. Errors that should not have come to pass, had I been more careful.”

Her eyes slid over to cast the tiniest of conspiratorial glances over in Ryuko’s direction. “Also, well…speaking of tactical errors and mistakes? Ryuko, _did_ you lose that match, fair and square? You seemed…distracted. _Too_ distracted. Please understand, I’m not in any way insinuating that you lost to him on purpose, but I sensed some rather unusual…well, it’s not like you to pause like that in the heat of battle at all! It would take someone like Nui to break your iron focus in such a manner, and I just _know_ it wasn’t ‘something you ate’, either. Surely Uzu didn’t find some subtle new way to get under your skin, did he…?

Reaching for her seat belt (required by the Kiryuin Transportation Edict, now in full force since Sats was the one driving), Ryuko quietly paused. The image of her own murderous face reflected in that pool of crimson blood, spattered on the dojo floor. It was haunting her in ways she could not even begin to admit to her own self…how was she going to be able to properly inform Satsuki without alarming her? More importantly, how _would_ she without being tossed in some nuthouse?

 _‘Shit._ _How to play this off without raising Satsuki’s suspicions? She knows something is up…I can’t tell her about this yet, I just can’t…!’_ The flare of her glowing cheek capillaries could be seen as merely being embarrassment, not due to the confusing waves of ultraviolent and hypersexual imagery that were even now gnawing away at her mind’s flustered core. ‘ _Yeah, s’just embarrassment…let’s go with that for the time being.’_

“Hell, I guess I was just distracted by…y’know, things. Stuff on my mind, whatever. I mean, screw the collarbone, my pride is what took the real hit. Ya know, Monkey Man’s gonna be insufferable for a good long while over this colossal fuckup! Ugh, I’ll be burning fer months in this big ol’ shame fire. He sure ain’t gonna let up about it, either, I just know it! I just sucked hard today, plain and simple.” ‘ _Oh please, pretty please. Don’t ask exactly what was distracting me, Sats…please just don’t ask!’_

“You fought an amazing duel, Ryuko! Yes, your pride has been wounded, this is true. But let me assure you that _nothing_ outweighs the amount of pride I have in you.”

“ _*pfft*_ Yeah, except maybe yer own titanic ego!” _‘Okay, now it’s time to distract her, by any means necessary…’_

“What? I am _not_ an egotist! Surely you don’t truly believe that…do you, Ryuko?”

“Oh, no worries. I guess if yer totally super awesome, there’s no point in not acting like it?” _‘Please let that work. Gotta take the offensive here!’_

“I’m not…’totally super awesome’, Ryuko. Don’t be silly! You and your ridiculous overuse of hyperbole, I swear.” ‘ _Yes, right there. That pause. An opening! Push!’_

“Aw, the hell you ain’t! You are totally like _the_ complete package! Smarts, sexiness, style…you got it all, you are _the_ hotness supreme!” ‘ _Yes, right there, that’s it! Satsuki can never handle compliments like that! This’ll discombobulate her fer sure!’_

“Ah, I…erhm. Ryuko, you exaggerate, surely.” _There! Topple her, while she’s all distracted! Go for it! Set phasers to stun!_

“Okay, I wasn’t gonna say it, but…honestly? I was distracted by your legendary ass.”

“ _*tsk*_ You were not! Look, I know of your fighting prowess, you simply aren’t distracted by such petty things! How could you even see my form from where you were, anyways? I was sitting down the entire time, remember?” _‘Shit, that’s right, she was. Fuckity fuck…c’mon idiot Matoi, think of something!’_

“Uh, well…so, yeah. I peeked when you grabbed the chair from the front entrance! All bending over like that…slinking around all…currrvy and stuff in those oh-so-tight slacks you got on there. Lookin’ good there, babe.” _‘You are really reaching now, you idiot! That line of bullshit won’t-’_

“ _*ahem*_ Well, thank you for the…ah, compliment? I suppose I’ve been working more diligently on my core strength regiments as of late. Perhaps I have toned up a noticeable amount in that regard? I had absolutely no intentions of distracting you whatsoever, though. Perhaps you should just pay more attention in the future, then?” _‘-work on her? Holy crap, it did. She’s blushing like a stop light!’_

“Oh, I will. To the important stuff that really matters, you betcha! Mmm-hmm...” _“Ha! Yes! Operation Distract-a-Satsy: Accomplished!’_

“ _*tsk*_ Oh behave, you lecherous hound.”

“Always and never, nee-san. Always and never.”

The piece de resistance was quietly revealed as they journeyed homeward: Ryuko started to hum and sing under her breath, a triumphant ode to her secret victory. “Doo doo doo… _’Ass of a champiooon, my frieeeeend…And I’lllll keep on fighting for your eeeend…Hmm-hmm-hmmm…Ass of a champion…Aaaaaaassss of a chammmmmpioooonnn… No tiiime for flaaaat butts, Ass of a champion…of the worllllld…!’_ Heh-heh! _*snort*_ ”

“Ryuko. What on Earth are you chortling about, exactly?”

“Heh! Um...? Oh, why _nothing_ at all, my queen…”

Satsuki unleashed the power of her famous eyeroll, perfected and wielded as a testament to her complete and utter dismissal of Ryuko’s recent streak of unfettered weirdness. Hmm. Perhaps Sanageyama knocked just a few too many brain cells loose from the impetuous girl, hmm? She was acting quite strangely, even for her. Still, even if Ryuko _did_ somehow throw that match (you may as well admit it now, Kiryuin, it _was_ a thought that crossed your mind…), it would have been spurred on by what Ryuko had been told earlier that day, of Uzu’s heroic personal sacrifice in both their names.

Well, if _that_ were true, then she must be grappling with a rather intense bout of self-loathing right now: her ultracompetitive nature must be warring with her bid to somehow pay Uzu back in the most meaningful manner possible? Ah yes, that’s probably what it is. Well, it is better than berating herself for being some sort of ‘unholy monster’, that much is certain. If this is what it takes to distract Ryuko’s mind from such misguided fears, then so be it! Let there be solace found in such a noble defeat!

Ryuko quietly nestled herself into the leather seat, looking to all the world as though she was merely daydreaming through groggy, half-lidded eyes. She was, in all actuality, locked in a disturbing brawl with her suddenly-traitorous subconscious. The physical pain had faded into a dull roar, leaving her to wrestle with an empty, hollow desire to sate the most terrifying of urges.

Hellish, damnable imagery that would give even Hieronymus Bosch a pause for concern was flashing past her troubled eyes time and again: inner whispers were now beckoning, cajoling, prodding, _torturing_ her…trying to instill within her the maddening desire to instigate a hot orgy of violence and sweet, sweet blood. To slake this thirst for violence with someone…hell, with _anyone_ who deserved it! Why, just about any meat sack (Stop! _Stop_ calling people that!) would do.

It was all she could do to occupy her mind elsewhere, to think of non-violent and non-sexual desires…because that. Just. Wasn’t. _Like._ Her! She didn’t really want to do all those evil things…because she  wasn’t evil. Right? Now considering her unfortunate relation to Ragyo…oh, now _she_ was evil! Nui was super evil, too. But _not_ Matoi Ryuko! No, she would never sink so low as to do all those horrid, murderous…wait, but then if _that_ were true, why were these urges even here to begin with, huh? Was that where her violent streak and her famously explosive temper originated from…? _Was_ there true evil lurking in her heart, after all? And…why now, of all times to manifest? _What the hell is happening to me?_

Ryuko purposefully bit the inside of her lip with one sharp canine, to create a harsh focal point that would hopefully serve to draw her attention away from all of this dire thinking. Unfortunately, she only found herself to be somewhat nauseated at the urgent swell of wet excitement that surged through her vagina as the tang of deliciously electric blood hit her tongue once more. That was most certainly _not_ the reaction she had been hoping for, and it had only served to deepen her worried confusion.

And all the while she found herself slowly but surely acknowledging the penultimate truth, leaden guilt inexorably spreading throughout her darkening soul: the unavoidable fact that, deep down inside, Matoi Ryuko _was_ an unholy monster. That much was certain.

 

 

-

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to 'Catharsis'.
> 
> The less sleep I get, the more it seems I take it out on the characters in my stories. Ah, poor sweet Ryuko. She doesn't deserve what's coming...
> 
>  
> 
> Content notes:
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asakura_Ujikage
> 
> https://markussesko.com/2013/06/25/the-kotegiri-masamune/
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanshin
> 
> Ryuko’s ‘Divine Wind’ comment and the meaning behind it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze_(typhoon)
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hieronymus_Bosch


End file.
